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    CAVA

    4.2 (112 reviews)
    ModerateMediterranean, Salad
    Open 10:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Order CAVA Takeout or Delivery

    CAVA Photos

    Business Info

    CAVA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Touristy
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups

    Recommended Reviews - CAVA

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    Reviews With Photos

    Allie K.

    Stopped into cava before my train from Union station. The line was long but they got through it very quickly. Service was also very friendly! I built a couple bowls for those in my party. Everything was fresh and they keep everything clean and separate. Easy to get gluten free here and it not be cross contaminated. I had a bowl with rice and chicken. The dill sauce is delicious and I enjoyed the pickles as well. Plenty of options to build your own bowl, or pick one of their creations. I also love their drinks. Mint cucumber, yum!

    Cass A.

    I now understand the hype. The make-your-own bowl with super fresh ingredients, and a large portion - exactly what we were looking for following a long day along the national mall. The unique flavor profile and amount of opportunities for texture really brought this bowl together. Salty, spicy, fresh, crunchy, and the right amount of acidity. I could not finish it even though I was famished before ordering. It made such an impression on us that we returned to DC later in the year and this was near the top of our list to visit.

    John T.

    This was my first time trying Cava since we don't have it in Hawaii. However, judging by the constant long lines, it seems like it's a very popular, well-known eatery. I was fortunate to go during an off-time so there was no wait. I got a falafel bowl. While I enjoyed parts of my bowl, I was not a fan of the rice/grains. But my biggest complaint was that they only include three falafels in my bowl. I kept digging around in the bowl to see if I was missing something, but sadly I wasn't.

    Grains Bowl

    This is the worst CAVA I've ever been to. But honestly I blame myself more than them for even considering going here. The portion size (pictured here) was a JOKE. The bowl wasn't even 1/4 filled up. They also forgot half the toppings I ordered, and they didn't bother to include the free side pita. NEVER COME TO THIS LOCATION, I've had good cava and had cava, but this location is in a different league of bad.

    Cava Union Station
    Arcadia S.

    Everything with my order was fine. The customer service I received was perfectly acceptable. I don't typically do this but I'm troubled about how the customer in front of me was treated by Sophia (she of the three nose piercings). This young man was so polite, he was gracious and friendly, his manners would make his mother proud. When he got to the protein section where Sophia was, I heard him say, "Hi, how are you doing? May I please have falafel?" She sighed, literally rolled her eyes, stepped to the falafel and put them in his bowl in this exaggerated way employees dealing with a difficult customer might act, yet this guy was nothing but polite . At first I thought she's just a terrible employee all around, but when it was my turn to order along with my daughters. we received completely different treatment. She smiled, was nice, accommodating, normal. However, an item from the guy in front of me's order got left behind, so he had to jump back in and ask for his toasted pita chips. Again, he was extremely polite and did his best, even apologize to her as if it was HIS fault that she had failed to move his entire order along together. She immediately snapped back at him that he already had his pita chips. Her tone was rude, and her facial expression was condescending and unprofessional. He said "no I ordered an extra one I'm sorry thank you thank, thank you so much". Another employee had to step in and hand it to him because it was obvious by Sophia's body language she would not help. This was immediately contrasted with her switching off the hostility and returning to being nice for me and my kids . It was really uncomfortable and I just feel I need to report it so that perhaps somebody reading this can advise. It was fairly obvious that the sole reason this customer received such awful treatment was his trump hat. Or maybe she just hates all men. YES: vegan friendly

    inside
    Dakiesh C.

    Manager on duty had a lot of energy and was very helpful towards the older couple in front of. First time @ the Union location it was clean , the workers were quick and attentive , and of course the food was excellent per usual !

    Unfull Bowl charged full price.
    ALEXandria H.

    Every time I come I charged a different price. I don't get any "protein or veggie" no rice. I only get Arugula, cucumber, olives and feta sometimes it's $4.50 sometimes it's $14.14 which is INSANE!!! Usually they charge me for just sides as they don't even fill the bowl. It's whatever but I can't give more stars because they are inconsistent. Also as a Vegetarian we are sick of the veggies and falafel don't charge us more cause you haven't gotten create in 10 years and we're tired of it. Next time Im gonna get my protein and extra sauces (sides) to the person behind me . If you are going charge me FULL price. I will just bless the people around me. Free extra protein for all!!!!

    The food was very salty! Service was great and they helped me figure out what to order as a first time customer. The place was overall clean and well organized.

    Half falafel, half sweet potato with shoug and harissa
    Vijay N.

    We've often bought cava food in the grocery store, but we had never been to the restaurant until today. Of many many quick bowl options out there for a vegetarians, CAVA stands head and shoulders above the crowd. We split our protein between the falafel, and the sweet potato, both of which were extremely flavorful, soft, and very hearty! The sauces, in particular, the harissa vinaigrette, and the Shoug had many layers of flavor, including sweet and spicy notes, that really elevated the dish. Definitely get the pita crisps, which add a nice crunch element. It was really easy to put a mobile order in ahead of time and the restaurant is perfect situated near the entrance to Union Station, where the circulator drops off, making it easy to grab and go, or to sit in or around the station to admire the beautiful architecture. This was a tremendous introduction to this chain, and I am eager to go more!

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    1 year ago

    The food was amazing, generous portions and the blue lavender & cucumber lime mint drink was delicious. The service was fast and friendl.

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Great twist on fast food! I love the healthy option and the fact that I can customize my meal!

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    2 years ago

    Cava never miss. I just wish the kept the food area a little cleaner. But overall I highly recommend

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    2 years ago

    Very good food. Healthy and very tasty. Great service. Nice people. I would definitely go here again. But it was expensive.

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    Ask the Community - CAVA

    Gypsy Kitchen DC - Assortment of Small Plates & Cocktails

    Gypsy Kitchen DC

    4.3(1k reviews)
    1.8 mi
    $$
    Happy hour specials
    Rooftop seating

    We came to Gypsy Kitchen for our anniversary, and it was the perfect spot! The service was speedy…read moreand kind, and the decor/ambiance was beautiful. We ordered a bottle of the Cava, and four small plates, which was plenty of food. The mussels, labneh and Patatas bravas were all very generous portions. Labneh: 5/5, delicious, served with plenty of pita Patatas bravas: 5/5, with great flavor and crispy roasted potatoes Mussels: 4/5, generous portion size, and the sauce was very good but I wished the sauce was more white wine-based Tuna crudo: 5/5, not a ton of food but the flavor was absolutely delicious, very citrusy and fresh Labneh cheesecake: 4/5, served with a sauce that was a bit like cough syrup but otherwise absolutely delicious

    We paid $130 with tip for croquettes, lamb skewers, tuna crudo, hummus, and two 50 Shades of Purple…read more(drinks with butterfly pea gin). We sat outside on the patio and it was a gorgeous day. The decor is perfect and I love that they've added plants to cover the staircase. Drinks were delicious and the food came out quickly. Our water glasses were rarely empty. Service was kind. Food wise if I were to stack rank I would say the hummus is the best of what we ordered. The pita bread is thick and garlicky and oily and massive. The croquettes would be at the bottom of my list simply because they're dissimilar from any I've had before and a little bit underwhelming. The tuna was fresh but it's a small dish and not much to write home about. The lamb skewers have a subtle kick to them and they're pretty substantial. I'll definitely be back to try more! Highly recommend on a warm summer day as you're covered by the canopy above, if you're looking for a rooftop vibe.

    Photos
    Gypsy Kitchen DC
    Gypsy Kitchen DC - Hummus, Lebnah, & Flatbread

    Hummus, Lebnah, & Flatbread

    Gypsy Kitchen DC - Rooftop Patio

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    Rooftop Patio

    Agora DC - Cauliflower**

    Agora DC

    4.0(1.8k reviews)
    1.9 miDupont Circle
    $$$

    Was able to do a walk-in on a recent Thursday evening…read more I had been many times before, but it had been a while, so it was great to dine at Agora again. Everyone in my group loved the assortment of small plates that we had. We considered getting the lamb chops, but it only comes with 2, and there were three of us, so we opted against it. The dishes we got instead (an assortment of vegetables, meat, and seafood) were all delicious, and we would all be happy to get them again.

    Went there twice to taste different kinds of Turkish dishes. One time for dinner and the other for…read morelunch. Overall the food was good. The serving size of the dishes I ordered were medium to small. The service was far less satisfactory than food. I tried the following dishes: 1. Complimentary pita: ~40g per piece. Not salty and paired well with the other dishes. Definitely get some! 2. Lahmacun: The lamb+beef mixture was tasty. It came with 4 pieces. 3. Branzino: ~6oz. The fish was grilled to perfection; juciy tender, and the skin was nicely charred. It was served with freh parsley and seasoned grilled tomato (salt+oregano I think). 4. Imam Bayildi: Half of an eggplant topped with sauteed onions and tomatoes. While itself was pretty normal, it went so well with the Ottoman rice. 5. Ottoman Rice: The true highlight of all the dishes I tried! It was basically Basimati rice cooked with dried apricots, raisins, almonds & pine nuts mix, and seasoned with black currant. Overall it was warm, earthy and lightly smoky. The apricot slices added some delightful sweetness and juiciness to the dish. Should pair well with Labneh, chicken and seafood. But to be honest, I can simply eat this stuff along for a whole meal! 6. Tabbouleh: They went against the traditional recipe by substituting the bulgur with quinoa and added some pomegranate arils. I liked the special texture of quinoa. The sweetness of pomegrante arils also enriched the flavors. However, I had to constantly spit the seeds when enjoying the salad. 7. Kofte: Adana style ground beef patties. Just like what I make at home haha! I ordered it as an add-on to my salad at lunchtime. It came with only 2 pieces which weighed no more than 3oz in total... Despite the delicious food, service was disappointing. The first time, the dinner, was Okay. While my food came out slowly, at least my server was aware of it and asked me how I liked the dishes. The second time, the lunch, was horrible. Even before I was seated, my server made me feel that he was reluctant to serve me, and emphasized that I had to order asap. "Luckily", I had already decided what to order. After I got my dishes, no one in the restaurant asked me if the food was Okay. And at the check, my bill was thrown onto my table. In comparison, the two ladies dining next to me came even after I started eating, but were greeted warmly and were given lots of time to decide what to order; not to mention that the staff gave them lots of suggestions, asked about their dining experience, and even chatted with them about sightseeing in DC, etc. Such discrimitory treatment is really unacceptable.

    Photos
    Agora DC - A quiet dining room. The main dining room was much more noisy.

    A quiet dining room. The main dining room was much more noisy.

    Agora DC - Weekend Bottomless Brunch

    Weekend Bottomless Brunch

    Agora DC - Mocktail çiçek

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    Mocktail çiçek

    Ottoman Taverna - Sigara Boregi

    Ottoman Taverna

    4.2(896 reviews)
    0.6 mi
    $$

    Came here with 2 other friends for a Saturday lunch based on a friend's recommendation. It wasn't…read morepacked and the weather was nice so we took an outdoor table. We got the ottoman experience which included unlimited foods and drinks on the menu. I didn't know what to expect but the experience is mindblowing good! They served us everything included in the experience menu which has cold mezze and hot mezze plates, omelette, various skewers and desserts and sides. Everything is so fresh and tasty. I especially enjoyed the muhammara, the pink dip, and the omelette. The pita breads are warm and fluffy, perfect with the mezze. We also got a lot of mimosas and the honey yogurt dessert was not heavy and perfect end to our brunch. We all ended up so full but very much satisfied with the experience. If you go with friends or a group, get the experience you won't regret!

    Heard this spot had received some recognition from Michelin, and while I was in DC, I went out of…read moremy way to give it a try. Unfortunately, I felt pretty let down. Stopped by on my way out from DC before heading to the airport. I got to try their ayran, lahmacun, baklava with ice cream. I will first say that the interior of the place is certainly beautiful, and the staff seems to be fairly nice as well. Bit formal. But, in terms of the food, I just wasn't that impressed. The lahmacun just lacked flavor. There was very little spice; in fact, for whatever reason, it almost tasted a bit sweet. The ayran was also a letdown. Usually, I love ayran, but this one just tasted like milk. At least it was served in a cool metal container. They served some complimentary bread too, which was nice, but even that seemed a bit industrial. For dessert, I got to try the baklava with ice cream. It's nothing to write home about, in full honesty. Bit dry, not much flavor. All in all, I was a bit disappointed. It s a gorgeous spot, but the food just fell a bit short for me. Maybe I'll come back to try some kebabs.

    Photos
    Ottoman Taverna - Dining area

    Dining area

    Ottoman Taverna - Adana Wrap (beef spiced and grilled) and substituted in vegetables.

    Adana Wrap (beef spiced and grilled) and substituted in vegetables.

    Ottoman Taverna

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    ala - GOLDEN CAULIFLOWER

    ala

    4.2(1.2k reviews)
    2.1 miDupont Circle, Downtown
    $$$

    Brunch review ahead!!!!!…read more Ambiance- perfect for a cute date, time with friends, family members, or coworkers. The ambiance welcomes it all. Hospitality- The hostess was incredibly friendly and seated us upon arrival. Waiter- Eric was an AMAZING waiter. Bubbly personality, very polite and personable. His service was definitely a 10/10 Brunch- My friend and I decided to try their Easter Sunday brunch and my only regret was not visiting here sooner and not selecting an earlier time to dine, LOL! The entire experience was phenomenal! Bottomless mimosas- SO worth the extra $ Standout dishes: Adana meatballs Braised lamb Chicken Golden cauliflower Crispy Falafel Desserts: Baklava Brownie Kadayıf Sadly we did not get to experience all of the brunch menu items because brunch ends at 3pm and our reservations were at the heel of this time. Nonetheless, the standout dishes and desserts were enough for me to come back. I've enjoyed their happy hour, cafe area, and now their brunch. Can't wait to return.

    Three stars isn't the actual rating; I'd say more 3.5. Stopped by after visiting the Dupont…read moreCircle's weekly farmer's market to try their Sunday brunch buffet. Was warmly greeted, seated, and given an overview of the menu and brunch package options; decided to opt-out of the bottomless drinks, which had an alcoholic (mimosas and Bloody Marys) and NA (juices, sodas, drip coffee and black tea), as I wanted to try their more speciality coffee and tea. The drinks I ordered were the Turkish coffee, Levantine-style tea and digestive tea. All were quite solid. The Turkish coffee was as robust as espresso, yet not overwhelmingly bitter and slightly sweetened. The Levantine tea was a smooth black tea with natural sweetness and layered with a mint steep and floral notes of hibiscus, and rose petal. The digestive was more herbaceous with fennel and pomegranate zest, in addition to a steep of spearmint. The food was more hit-or-miss. On one hand, the meat and seafood was all very delicious and well-made. The braised lamb shank is their speciality, and well-deserved, as it's moist, savory and tender. The short rib similarly so, and the chicken casserole, lamb biajeen, Adana kebab and steamed lavraki (sea bass) were all similarly flavorful. On the other hand, the sides and mezze options were more mixed; the dolmas and fresh bites cheese with za'atar/nuts were delightful, however, the borek, cheeses, and some of the dips tasted reheated and/or not super fresh, the Brussels sprouts were quite scorched, and the savory salmon waffles were bone dry and flavorless. The French onion soup had the right flavor profile, but not the intensity; it tasted watered-down and even looked it, due to the noticeable oil blebs on the surface. Dessert was similar; the melon and fruits were fresh enough, the yogurt bar was quality, the kadayif nutty with the sweetness balanced, and the layali lubnan was intoxicatingly tasty, but many of the baked goods looked rather packaged and the fondue station was mediocre. The staff, however, were extremely friendly (my special regards to Mia, she's a great conversationalist and a sweetheart!). They answered all my questions, and one of the bartenders even gave me half a lemon to zuzh up my tea with. As I said at the start, more 3.5 stars than 3 stars. The core of their offerings are all quality, so I can't quite dock them a full two stars for the food quality because they had buffets aren't usually renown for said quality. You really can't expect perfection from AYCE, even though I naturally encourage the management to avoid sourcing pre-made items from Sysco if possible. The friendly staff and eloquent Eastern Mediterranean ambiance allows me to still say I enjoyed this experience, and may be back for dinner in the future.

    Photos
    ala
    ala - Adana Kebab

    Adana Kebab

    ala

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    Namak - Branzino and Duck Confit in the distance

    Namak

    4.4(84 reviews)
    2.6 miAdams Morgan

    Delicious! My wife…read moreand I shared the sample of dips, mini manti, and lahmacun. Thought we may need to order some more after but we filled up on that. Everything was great, but especially enjoyed the muhammara and the manti. Service was very attentive and polite. Also a nice interior and music at just the right volume to be enjoyable without being overpowering. Will certainly return!

    With its tasteful decor and candle-lit vibe, Namak is a date-worthy destination, or simply a cozy…read moregathering place for good friends. It's one of those places where it just feels good to be out for the evening. As to the food: the vegetable dishes are outstanding. I am not big on dips, usually, but I was won over by the mutabal, made with squash tahini, mushrooms, and shallots. It is served with a delicious sesame crusted bread, that could be addictive if you are not careful. The star of the evening was the crispy brussels, with black garlic caesar and hot honey. My word! This was like no other brussels I've ever tasted. Even the steamed spinach, tucked away on the menu in the "sides" section, was really tasty. The proteins, by contrast, were disappointing. The calamari was ok but nothing special. It came breaded rather than lightly battered - not my preference. The torsh shish - tenderloin shishkebab - was under-seasoned and a bit fatty. I was surprised it didn't have more of a grilled, smoky flavor. But the real disappointment was what was supposed to be the star of the show: the short rib tagine, with apricot, bulgur wheat, and labne. With that description, I was expecting the meat to arrive on a bed of the other delicious ingredients, but instead we got a brick-shaped piece of meat with a dab of something else. It was tender enough, and tasted ok, but really...just ok. For the price I was expecting something a little more special. The desert aficionados among us had praise for the chocolate pot, but the Persian Love Cake did not get a lot of love. For the drinks: for a Turkish/Greek restaurant I was surprised that wines from those countries were not available by the glass. Alas, there was no Greek wine to be had, and the Turkish wine could be had only if you were prepared to cough up $90 for a bottle. As I was the only wine drinker in the group, that was not going to happen. Next time I might go for a mocktail. The fermented carrot juice was funky and mystical and perhaps the best thing we had all night, beating out even those brussels sprouts.

    Photos
    Namak - Bar area

    Bar area

    Namak - Lamb shank

    Lamb shank

    Namak - Eggplant dip

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    Eggplant dip

    Urfa Tomato Kabob

    Urfa Tomato Kabob

    3.7(9 reviews)
    1.3 mi

    Some days Urfa is a 3, some days a 4, some days a 5, very inconsistent…read more I really want this place to be 5 stars but they don't make it easy. I typical get the falafel platter with rice, veggies and salad and it's delicious! The falafel are quite good (yes deep fried-some days a little too much but so good). The meal itself with veggies, rice, salad and dressing is a really good meal. And I always get hummus on the side. Their hummus-as a middle easterner I find it weird they have hummus and a hummus dip on the menu. Keep it traditional with the hummus - one of them is super soupy like which is disappointing and when I order I can never remember which one I like. Hummus shouldn't be thin it's not tahini (although made with tahini) :) Also what I dislike is that I always ask for no bread or no sauce and they always give me 3-6 pieces of huge bread when I specify no bread and it just goes to waste EVERY time. I hate wasting food and I can't eat gluten so it's just frustrating-I wish they would read the notes when people order or listen better. I still order from here knowing that my meal will be either mediocre or great, it's a chance I take sometimes when I crave their falafel platter.

    In these times I am doing everything I can to support small business, especially restaurants, so I…read morewas hesitant to even write this review, but decide to based on the food and the subsequent treatment of my request. I ordered a gyro and eggplant salad. I requested the pita for the gyro be separate so it didn't get soggy. That was not done. It's not the biggest deal but it would be nice if customer requests were honored. The bigger issue was the eggplant salad, which was rancid. I literally had to spit out what I had eaten and then throw out the container. When I asked for a refund (just of the eggplant salad) I was told that was not possible, which I do not understand since the food was spoiled and could have made me sick :( Very disappointing experience all around.

    Photos
    Urfa Tomato Kabob
    Urfa Tomato Kabob - Hummus falafel salmon

    Hummus falafel salmon

    Urfa Tomato Kabob

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    CAVA - mediterranean - Updated May 2026

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